The EU has released its findings on an investigation into the slowdown of aquaculture in Europe.
The EU has put in place high standards to keep sustainable growth at the heart of aquaculture's approach and methods. But while the European aquaculture industry leads in research and technological development, its progress has not been reflected in production, which has levelled off in the EU. All the while, however, there has been strong growth in some other parts of the world.
"Aquaculture has a bright future ahead of it in providing Europe's discerning consumers with high-quality, healthy fish products. It is time for it to get its full share and to give this strategically important sector an equal voice, and – quite literally – the place it needs to develop," Joe Borg, Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, commented.
The commission has examined the root causes of the stagnation in EU aquaculture production and has looked at ways to improve the sector's competitiveness, sustainability and governance. According to the commission, the sector can become more competitive through ongoing strong support for research and technological development, improved planning of space in coastal areas and river basins to make it easier for the sector to compete for space and water, and inclusion of its specific needs in the EU's market policy for fisheries products.
Secondly, the commission said that the aquaculture industry would remain sustainable if it continued to build on environmentally friendly production methods. If the industry maintained high animal health and welfare standards it would deliver a high level of consumer protection, the commission stated.
Thirdly, the commission argued that more could still be done to enhance the sector's image and its governance-related aspects. Aquaculture's success will depend, to a large extent, on there being a business-friendly environment for the sector at a national and/or local level.
The commission said that it was willing to provide member states and regional authorities with guidance to ensure that targeted measures at local, national and EU level helped the sector make full use of its assets.
"The commission believes that a strong, reinvigorated aquaculture industry would serve as a catalyst for growth in related sectors and further contribute to the development of rural and coastal areas," said a statement released by the commission.
"Moreover, consumers would benefit in the form of healthy, high-quality food products produced in an environmentally friendly way. These are just some of the crucial benefits that would accrue from concerted European action at all levels to unlock the aquaculture sector's full potential."